Pumpkin Scones

Pumpkin Scones

  • Serves: 10
  • Prep Time: 00:15
  • Cooking Time: 00:20
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These delicious pumpkin scones have a lovely soft and fluffy centre. You don't have to miss out anymore with my paleo version of pumpkin scones. I find they are tastier and fluffier than the wheat version I used to make when my kids were young. They also go perfectly with eggs for breakfast (I slice in half and pop in my air fryer and toast for a couple of minutes).

Ingredients

* Please click on the green icon next to the ingredients listed below for extra details and helpful information.

  • 1 1/2 cups almond meal/flour, (from blanched almonds)
  • 3/4 cup arrowroot flour, or tapioca
  • 1 Tbsp psyllium husk powder
  • 2 tsp baking powder (gluten free)
  • 1/3 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 lge egg(s)
  • 2 Tbsp macadamia oil
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup (100%)
  • 1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin, cooled (I used Kent pumpkin)

Directions

Preheat oven to 190c (fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Add the almond meal, arrowroot, psyllium powder, baking powder and salt to a large bowl. Stir well to combine and remove any lumps.

Break the egg into a small bowl and whisk well, then whisk in the oil and maple syrup.

Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture follow immediately with the mashed pumpkin. Stir well to combine all ingredients together. The mixture will be soft, the psyllium powder will start to soak up the moisture (you want to spoon the scone mixture onto the tray before it thickens).

Use a spoon to scoop up 10 equal portions of the mixture onto the prepared tray (it's useful to use a knife or spatula to help slide the mixture off the spoon), Use a knife to assist in shaping the scones into a round shape.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until lightly browning on top, they may take a little longer to cook if you have extra moisture in your pumpkin.

The scones are delicious served warm or at room temperature, with or without ghee or butter.

almond meal/flour

The most favoured gluten/grain free flour substitute in my kitchen is almond meal. It is finely ground blanched almonds and is also known as almond flour. It has a slightly sweet flavour so you don’t have to add as much sweetener when baking with it. Almond meal/flour is rich in manganese which helps the body heal after injuries and also helps the body break down carbohydrates. Almond flour is also rich in magnesium, which can help control your blood sugar levels. It's rich in vitamin E and other antioxidants, which may help reduce the risk of serious health conditions like cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Almonds are also a good source of calcium.

All kinds of nuts can be ground down to make a meal and are excellent for raw cheesecake or pie bases. Nut meals/flours are best stored in airtight containers in the fridge or freezer to prevent them going rancid.

arrowroot flour

Arrowroot is a herb, the roots are cultivated for its starch properties. It is used in my recipes as a thickener and I also like combining it with almond meal to produce a much lighter texture, more like a gluten flour. I find the starch helps to bind the ingredients together. You can substitute tapioca flour, which is made from the dried roots of the cassava plant. Tapioca can be used in baking, it has a slightly sweet flavour. However, I do not recommend thickening with tapioca, as it has a stretchy, gummy texture. Supermarkets only sell in very small containers, which is not cost effective. Purchase from baking specialty stores, health food stores or online. ( When substituting for cornflour in recipes, 2 teaspoons arrowroot = 1 tablespoon cornflour/starch).

psyllium husk powder

Psyllium powder is ground down psyllium husks to produce a very fine powder. Psyllium is a source of soluble dietary fibre, it expands when mixed with liquid. It can help relieve constipation and diarrhea. Psyllium is used in gluten free baking, as the finely ground husks bind moisture and help make breads rise and less crumbly. You can purchase psyllium husk powder from a supermarket or make your own by using a blender or food processor to ground to a very fine powder.

baking powder (gluten free)

Baking Powder is a rising agent for baked goods. If substituting for baking soda you will need 4 times the quantity. Ensure you purchase a gluten free, no aluminum brand. Alternatively, you can make your own baking powder; 1 teaspoon of baking powder is equal to 1⁄4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1⁄2 teaspoon of cream of tartar. Note, that they should only be combined when preparing your recipe.

sea salt

Organic unbleached, unrefined organic Celtic sea salt or pink Himalayan salt is my salt of choice as these contain healthy minerals and trace elements that our body needs. Regular table salt has been bleached, refined and processed leaving minimal health benefits. If you choose to use regular table salt in my recipes you will need to reduce the quantity or the end result will be to salty.

egg(s)

I have used large free range or organic eggs from a 700g carton in my recipes. Eggs are one of the few foods considered to be a complete protein because they contain all 9 essential amino acids, also studies have shown that lutein (yellow colour) in egg yolks protects against the progress of early heart disease.

macadamia oil

Macadamia nut oil is the non-volatile oil expressed from the nut meat of the macadamia tree, a native Australian nut. I avoid heating to very high temperatures but use it extensively for grain free baking at lower temperatures in the oven. Delicious over salads and it's also one of the healthier nuts, as it's higher in Omega 3 oils than other nuts.

maple syrup (100%)

Maple syrup is an earthy, sweet tasting amber liquid that is produced by boiling down the sap of maple trees. Use organic 100% maple syrup which is a natural food sweetener, not a flavoured maple syrup. Pure maple syrup contains a decent amount of some minerals, especially manganese and zinc, some traces of potassium and calcium but it does contain a whole bunch of sugar. I try to reduced the amount of sweetness in each recipe to the lowest possible without compromising taste. Feel free to adjust to your liking. I use maple syrup in place of raw honey when I don't want the strong honey flavour coming through in a recipe. I have paleo cookies and desserts in my cookbook made from whole food ingredients with natural sugars but please don’t overindulge. Use as a treat only for special occasions.

pumpkin

Like all orange pigmented vegetables, pumpkins are rich in beta carotene (vitamin A) and studies show pumpkin contains more than carrots.